March 2018 

Editorial                                        

We leapt into Spring with the publication in early March of CEER’s new Future Role of Gas (FROG) report - see our feature article below and don’t miss our FROG event (24 April). March 8 (International women’s day) is always an important annual date. CEER chairs the Women in Energy initiative of the International Confederation of Energy Regulators (ICER). This year, ICER paired 48 female mentees with mentors from around the globe for our 2018 mentoring programme (started on 8 March), and published a Special Collection of Women in Energy stories. Also out is the ICER Chronicle (an online, twice yearly publication by energy regulators).  With 1 billion people worldwide without any electricity, the focus of the ICER Women in Energy panel at the recent World Forum on Energy Regulation (WFER) was on how empowering women through access to energy drives growth in the developing world (see international section for WFER highlights).

Save the date:
-    24 April, Future Role of Gas (FROG) event (Brussels)
-    5 June (pm), CEER 2018 Annual Conference (Brussels)
-    14-15 June, CEER-European Commission Eastern Partnership workshop (Budapest)
Next CEER Training Course:
-    19-20 April, Wholesale and Retail Market Monitoring

Feature: The Future Role of Gas (FROG)
The Future Role of Gas (FROG) study, published by the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER), evaluates the future role of gas (from a commodity and infrastructure perspective) and the regulatory implications. CEER commissioned DNV GL to undertake the study on the future role of gas.

What’s in the CEER Report on the Future Role of Gas?
The FROG study assesses the magnitude of future natural gas demand in 2040 for the EU-28 under three demand scenarios (low, average and high). In all cases, gas may play an important role also considering green gases - such as biomethane, hydrogen, synthetic methane.

Key findings of the FROG study
Gas has the potential to contribute to decarbonisation

- Natural gas remains competitive in the residential/heating sector and it may become important in the transportation sector as well with LNG and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) used as fuels.
- Gas has the potential to contribute to the EU’s decarbonisation agenda both as back-up for renewables and also potentially in terms of renewable gases which can be accommodated in the existing infrastructures. For CEER, decarbonisation should be at least-cost.

Gas demand and decarbonised gas policy impacts the development of gas infrastructure
The future gas demand affects natural gas infrastructure development. High demand requires an extension or reinforcement of gas network whereas low gas demand risks stranded assets. Effective forward-looking regulation requires policy clarity on the future role of (decarbonised) gas and its underlying infrastructure.

What’s next? - FROG study to be presented in a public workshop (24 April)

CEER will hold a public workshop on 24 April 2018 to discuss the findings of the FROG study. The draft agenda and registration of the FROG launch event can be found here. Confirmed speakers include Dr Borchardt, Director, DG Energy, European Commission. In 2018, CEER will continue to work on a CEER vision on the future role of gas from a regulatory perspective. The analysis will build not only on the FROG study but also other relevant studies in this field. We will also continue to work on a range of wholesale and retail gas issues including the interaction and synergies between gas and electricity sector.
International

Regulators from across the globe gathered in Mexico for the World Forum on Energy Regulation (WFER), an international conference held once every 3 years.  CEER contributed 11 speakers, 3 trainers and organised the ICER Women in Energy (WIE) event. In an amazing show of solidarity, all women at the WFER spontaneously took to the stage during the (all-female) WIE event. empowering women through access to energy drives economic growth and jobs in the developing world. Because women invest 90 % of their income back into their families, with affordable energy, women can turn around the lives, education and health of their families with enduring effects. WFER keynote speakers included Dr Bertrand Piccard (Solar Impulse, the first successful round-the-world solar powered flight) and (see www.wfer2018.org).

Don’t miss the 30 June deadline for the submission of (1) articles and (2) Women in Energy stories for the next edition of the ICER Chronicle.

Publications
-    CEER Future Role of Gas (FROG) report, 06 March 2018
-    CEER Press Release: Regulators’ FROG study foresees a future role for gas, 06 March 2018
-    ICER Special Collection of Women in Energy stories, 08 March 2018
-    ICER Chronicle, March 2018

Contact

Una.Shortall@ceer.eu

Tel: +322 788 7330 or
+ 32 484 668 599

 

 

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